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Sermon Illustrations for Proper 9 | OT 14 (2021)

Illustration
2 Samuel 5:1-5, 9-10
Quite naturally on this holiday, we think of leadership of our nation. King David’s actions may be a model for leadership. David recognized that leadership involved partnership with those led (why he entered a covenant with the people [v.3]) and also to operate in a way which makes clear subordination to God. John Wesley regarded this kind of humility as crucial for all citizens, not just our leaders, an awareness that any good accomplished only happens because of God. He wrote:

Deeply conscious, therefore, should every member of this society be of his own foolishness, continually hanging with his whole soul, upon Him Who alone hath wisdom and strength, with an unspeakable conviction that “the help which is done upon earth, God doeth it Himself”; and that it is He alone Who “worketh in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure.” (Works, Vol.6, p.161)

Dwight Eisenhower, who certainly knew something about leadership, understood it somewhat along these lines, and since we all engage other people, it is good advice for everyone. He claimed that “Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it.” Get other people to want what you want, assist them in doing it, and give God all the glory for it.
Mark E.

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2 Samuel 5:1-5, 9-10
The crowning of David as king is an important moment in Israel’s history. David reigned as king for forty years. He was not flawless, he was, after all, human. Jerusalem was renamed and became known as the City of David from this moment and into this day. As I traveled in the holy land, I was awed by the scenes and sights that I had only read about in history and in scripture. I did not feel the presence of King David, but I did feel the presence of God, of Jesus, as I walked in places he would have walked, sat where he had been seated, and prayed where he prayed. David had a huge impact on Israel, but he was, of course, a human being, not God. So, I am not surprised that I felt the presence of God, rather than the presence of David.
Bonnie B.

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2 Corinthians 12:2-10
Oswald Chambers once wrote, “Faith for my deliverance is not faith in God. Faith means, whether I am visibly delivered or not, I will stick to my belief that God is love. There are some things only learned in a fiery furnace.”

We understand that. Chambers is referencing the familiar account of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and their trust despite being put in Nebuchadnezzar’s fiery furnace. The Christian band Mercy Me sings a song called “Little Faith” that speaks to that and other times when God’s answer is different than what we hope. Here are some of the lyrics.

They say it only takes a little faith
To move a mountain
Well good thing
A little faith is all I have, right now
But God when You choose
To leave mountains unmovable
Oh give me the strength to be able to sing
It is well with my soul


Despite his praying for the thorn in the flesh to be removed, the apostle Paul knew what Mercy Me, Oswald Chambers and Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego all knew. “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” (vs. 9)
Bill T.

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2 Corinthians 12:2-10
Those who speak of near-death experiences often express their feeling that there is no longer, for them, any fear of death. The same is true for those who have had a vison or dream of assurance. Fear is replaced by a sense of purpose and meaning. Paul speaks of the vision of the third heaven he was granted, something both timeless and timely, which fuels his ministry and which he shares with the conviction of one who has experienced the eternal firsthand, with the confession that despite his earnest prayer, his own personal affliction, his thorn in the flesh, will not be taken away. One is reminded of Julian of Norwich, who ardently prayed that her pains would put her more in touch with the heaven, and perhaps for the reader of saints they have known who have borne their afflictions with patience. It is on this basis that Paul assures the Corinthians he looks forward to a third visit, no matter what the experiences before. Paul lays great weight on his weaknesses which demonstrate God’s strength. The gift of being the more practiced, the more experienced Christian, is what he intends to offer.
Frank R.

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Mark 6:1-13
I can remember when I first answered the call to ministry. Some people were incredibly surprised. That wasn’t the way they saw me. They had known me for years and years, just as the people had known Jesus. They didn’t see me as a preacher, teacher and pastor. The people in Jesus’ hometown didn’t see him as prophet or teacher either. They certainly had difficulty seeing him as the Son of God. And yet, this man, this divine man, taught, healed, prophesied, loved, and redeemed us human beings. He sent others forth to do the same. So, my friends, whether people recognize your call from God, please answer it. Please respond to the call of God on your life. For me, and for others, it has made all the difference.
Bonnie B.

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Mark 6:1-13
What with all that has happened in 2021, how can we believe that God is still in control of our nation, of our lives? How can God be in control when Jesus could not do all the miracles he wanted to do?  An ancient theologian, Dionysius of Alexandria, urges us to think of the universe as a vast choir. Choirs need directors who organize everything, pick the music and tempo, but can’t control the performance quality (Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol.6, pp.88,91). So, in our story, God in Christ could bring everyone together, but bad faith got in the way of the healing performance, but not totally. Just like the choir director ensures that the show goes on, some cures did transpire (v.5). Does this help explain how the tragedies of life could still happen under the rule of our loving God? Garrison Keillor said something remarkably similar to Dionysius’ analogy:

God writes a lot of comedy — the trouble is he’s stuck with so many bad actors who don’t know how to play funny.

Evil is a function of bad actors in God’s planned comedy and fun-time life.
Mark E.
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John Jamison
Object: This is a role play activity.

Note: You will need to select six children to play roles in this activity. If you have a smaller group, you might ask some older youth or even adults to play the parts of the two attackers and the man being attacked. I will give suggestions for how they can play their roles, but feel free to help your children make the story as fun and memorable as you can. I have used boys and girls in the various roles, but you can change those however you want to change them.

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The Immediate Word

Dean Feldmeyer
Katy Stenta
Thomas Willadsen
Christopher Keating
George Reed
Mary Austin
Nazish Naseem
For July 13, 2025:
  • Samaritans Among Us by Dean Feldmeyer based on Acts 2:1-21. Samaritans were despised and dismissed by the original audience who first heard Jesus tell this parable. Who are the Samaritans in our lives and how does this parable apply today?
  • Second Thoughts: The Helpers by Katy Stenta based on Amos 7:7-17.

StoryShare

Frank Ramirez
I say, “You are gods,
    children of the Most High, all of you;
nevertheless, you shall die like mortals
    and fall like any prince….”
(vv. 6-7)

There have been any number of brother-sister acts that achieved a measure of fame. Take the Carpenters, famed for their singing, musicianship, and songwriting skills. Also worthy of mention are John and Joan Cusack who have acted together in over sixteen films.

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Wayne Brouwer
An ancient legend tells of a remote mountain village where people used to send their senior citizens out into the woods to die. The villagers had an eye to the future; they felt that those beyond a certain age would only slow down progress or use up valuable resources to no economically profitable end. Those who reached a certain age weren’t “put out to pasture” or “put out of their misery”; they were simply put out of other people’s way.
Mark Ellingsen
Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez
Amos 7:7-17 and Psalm 82
The tallest building in the world is the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. It is more than 2,700 feet high—over half a mile tall. It has 160 floors and is twice as tall as the Empire State Building in New York City. It is home to the world’s fastest elevator which reaches speeds of forty miles an hour. The Burj Khalifa also hosts the world’s highest outdoor observation deck (on the 124th floor) and the world’s highest swimming pool (on the 76th floor).

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Mabel hummed a familiar hymn tune as she made her way to church. She always enjoyed her Sunday morning walk. It was one of the few times she felt safe to walk alone through the inner city, for she knew nobody would be up at 7.45 in the morning. Today was a particularly beautiful morning, with blue sky, warm sunshine, and the song of a few intrepid blackbirds who still inhabited the city.

SermonStudio

James Evans
Often, a distinction is made between the pastoral or priestly work of the church and the prophetic work. Pastoral care has to do with the care of souls, the offering of comfort in times of loss. The priestly character of pastoral work seeks to mediate the presence of God to those who are hurting.

Schuyler Rhodes
Trusting is never easy. Even in the best of relationships, people step into trust slowly. There is wariness -- questioning -- worry. What happens if trust is betrayed? What if this doesn't work? Sometimes it's like a dance. We step in and out of trust, moving to the rhythms of fear. For many, the routine is achingly familiar. Indeed, it's not easy to trust.
John Jamison
It was back in the days when the railroad was the most common mode of transportation. There were automobiles, and some airplanes, but the steam locomotive was the way most folks traveled and the way that most of the goods were distributed around the country. After dinner, people sat in the drawing room and listened to the radio programs, fading in and out from some faraway location, over the magical broadcasting signal.
Robert Leslie Holmes
Not many tourists to Washington, D.C., look for the Federal Bureau of Standards offices. It's the Capitol and the White House, the Supreme Court Building or the Smithsonian most of us want to see when we go there. Yet, at the Bureau of Standards offices something very important is stored, something that impacts your life and mine every single day. Have you ever bought the materials for a new project? When you did, most likely you purchased so many inches or feet or yards. Or, you stopped to buy gasoline for your car and purchased it at a certain price per gallon.
David O. Bales
I have the two best jobs in the world. I teach social studies at Leon Griffith Junior High School (a fairly small junior high) and I am Sunday School Superintendent at Calvary Presbyterian Church (an enormous church school). Each job is my vocation. I tell people that at school they'll find my room where the halls cross. At church they can look but probably won't find me. I'll be in someone's classroom. At each job I practice what I most deeply believe: it's how you see the world that determines how you respond to it. I'll give you an example, actually, two examples.
Erskine White
O Lord my God! When I in awesome wonder,
Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made,
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed,
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!
(Stuart K. Hine)

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